Floor cleaning and polishing device



May 15, 1951 s. w. JILBERT FLOOR CLEANING AND POLISHING DEVICE FiledApril 12, 1948 INVENTOR.

w rp Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a floor cleaning and polishing device of thegeneral character shown in Letters Patent of the United States No.2,304,257 granted December 8, 1942 in which the handle of the deviceforms a tank or reservoirfor holding a quantity of the treating liquid,and a hand operated valve mechanism is employed whereby this liquid maybe discharged in desired quantities to an applicator whereby the liquidis distributed over the floor for cleaning or polishing the same.

It is the object of this invention to provide improved means in a deviceof this character whereby the discharge of the liquid from the supplytank or storage reservoir is controlled and improved means whereby theapplicator is removably and adjustably mounted onthe handle of theapparatus so as to permit of conveniently using the same on the floorunder different conditions.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. l is a side elevation of this floorcleaning and polishing device showing the parts in the position in whichthey are used. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, on an enlarged scale, of thelower part of the liquid tank, the valve mechanism whereby the dischargeof liquid from the tank is controlled and the means for mounting theapplicator on the tank.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the apparatus taken online 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse section, on a still.larger scale, taken on line 4--4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective viewof the ball valve and associated parts of the mechanism which controlthe iischarge of liquid from the tank. Fig. 6 is a fragmentar crosssection, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 6-6, Fig. 3. y

In the following description the same reference characters indicate likeparts in the several views. of the drawings.

The cleaning and polishing liquid in this device is stored in the handlewhereby this device is manipulated which tank comprises along tubularbody [0 the upper end of which is provided with an inlet through whichthe treating liquid may be introduced from time to time whenreplenishing of the same becomes necessary and at its lower end thisbody is provided with a valve mechanism whereby the discharge of theliquid from the tank is controlled.

The inlet end of this liquid storing tank isnormally closed by means ofa. removable closure or stopper H which. may be of. any suitable orapproved construction.

. The valve mechanism whereby the. discharge of liquid from the outletof the storage tank is controlled includes a plug I2 of plastic materialwhich is preferably held frictionally in the lower end of the tubularbody 10 and provided on its exterior with an annular shoulder l3 whichfaces upwardly and engages with the lower end of the tubular body (0 forthe purpose of limiting the upper movement of this plug in this body andforming a smooth and finished joint therewith. This plug has the generalshape of a ferrule and is provided centrally with a longitudinal port Mwhich extends from the inner'or' rear end of this plug to the outer orfront end thereof and at its outer end this plug is provided with anannular valve seat l5 around the port;

By constructing this valve seat on a tubular plug of plastic materialthe cost of the same is materially reduced compared with the cost ofmachining the same out of metal, the weight of the same is alsoconsiderably less than metal so that it is less tiresome for theoperator to use. the device andv this ferrule is also less liable to marany furniture with which it is liable to come into contact. The port ofthis tubular ferrule is adapted to be opened; and closed by means of aball shaped valve of metal the face of which is mainly of sphericalshape, as shown at IT and one part of this, face is flattened, asindicated at [8. This ball valve is adapted to be rotated while incontact with the valve seat l5 of the ferrule and when all parts of thevalve seat are engaged by the spherical: face ll of the ball valve thenthe port in the ferrule is closed and no liquid can escape from theliquid supply tank to the exterior thereof, but when this ball valve isturned so that a part of its flattened face It is opposite of thisvalve, seat, then an aperture is formed between the. valve seat and theball valve through which aliquid can escape from the storage tank to theexterior of the device preparatory to being delivered to the applicatorwhich spreads this liquid over thefloor.

The. operation of this ball valve is the same as that shown anddescribed in the Letters Patent above referred to and reference theretomay be had if further information is required.

Means are provided whereby this ball valve I6 is yieldingly held inengagement with the seat at the outer. end of the discharge port in theferrule l2, and whereby this ball valve may also be actuated manuallyfrom the exterior of the device for opening and closing this port. Intheir-preferred form the means whereby this is accomplished areconstructed as follows:

. To its front side the ball valve are attached a vertical operating armand horizontal tension arms which project laterally in oppositedirections from the inner end of the operating arm.

, Theserarms are preferably constructed from a single piece of wire bybending the latter so as to form a central loop having two verticalmembers 19,19 which are arranged side by side and constitute theoperating arm, and two single horizontal members 20 which have theirinner ends connected respectively with the lower ends of the loopmembers l9 and constitute'the tension arms. The upper ends of the loopmembers 19 are bent rearwardly to form an attaching eye 2! and the outerends of the horizontal membersZEl,

20 are provided with hook shaped terminals 22.

This piece of wire from which these several arms drawings, this iseffected by means of a bracket which comprises two-metal supporting rods33, 33 arranged on opposite sides of the lower part of theliquid tankand having their front ends are formed integrally may be fastened to thefront side of the ball valve in any suitable manner, but preferablybywelding or brazing the same to the ball valve at the angle or junctionbetween the inner ends of these several arms.

The means whereby the ball valve is yieldingly held inengagement withthe seat around the port I 4. preferably comprises two tension memberswhich are arranged on opposite sides of the lower part of the liquidstorage tank, each of these tension members having a coil spring 23arranged lengthwise on the respective side of the liquid tank andprovided at its front end with a 'hook or eye 24 which engages with thehook 22 on the adjacent horizontal arm and a hook 25 arranged at therear end of this coil spring and engaging with an undercut shoulder 26formed on the adjacent part of the exterior of the tubular body of theliquid supply tank, as'shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

By these means the ball valve is yieldingly held against the seat l5 sothat the port I4 is closed when only the spherical part of this valveengages this seat and still permits this ball to be turned freely foropening and closing this port. The pull of the springs 23 is sodetermined that the same operate constantly toturn the ball valve intoits closed position in which the upper op-' erating arm is arrangedvertically or at right angles to the axis of the supply tank. Uponpulling backwardly on this vertical arm of the valve shifting device theball valve is turned into a position in which part of its flat face 18is opposite the valve seat and thereby permits some of the liquid in thetank to escape therefrom. This pulling action on the operating arm ofthe valve shifting mechanism is preferably accomplished by an actuatingrod 2'! arranged lengthwise in front of the lower part of the liquidtank and provided at its lower end with an eye 28 which is attached tothe eye 2| of the valve operating arm l9, I9 and a hand operated lever29 preferably of elbow-shape pivoted on the front side of the liquidtank and having a longitudinal arm connected with the upper end of theactuating rod while its upper arm projects laterally therefrom and formsa thumb piece which may be manipulated conveniently by a hand of theoperator; After a quantity of cleaning or polishing liquid has beendeposited upon the floor from the supply tank ill the same isdistributed by an applicator which is mounted on the lower or front endof the tubular handle and which is preferably constructed as follows: 1

The numeral 30 represents the back or stock of the applicator which inthe present case is made of sheet metal and of substantially U- shape incross section, and a brush or swab 3| connected with the holder by spotwelding or otherwise while the rear ends of the same are connected byspot welding or any other approved manner with diametrically oppositesides of the liquid tank. The rear ends of these rods are providedwiththe undercut shoulders 26 Whichreceive the rear. hooks 25 of the springsand thereby not only simplify these parts of the construction of thecleaning device, but also improve the appearance of the same and reducethe liability of the apparatus catching clothing or other parts whileoperating the cleaning device.

The back 30 of the applicator is capable of sliding horizontally in adirection crosswise of the device as a Whole so as to permit positioningthe applicator in any manner desired in order to enable one end or theother of the applicator to reach underneath any obstruction which may beon the floor; such as radiators and other fixtures, whereby the entirefloor may be cleaned and polished thoroughly.

If desired the applicator may be held in engagement with the holdersolely by direct frictional contact between these parts, but for greatersecurity additional means are providedconsisting of a leaf spring 34which has its central part connected by spot welding or the like withthe inner side of the channel of the holder 32 while its two oppositeends are bowed and engaged frictionally with the back 39 of theapplicator and thereby not only hold the latter against rattling on theholder but also permitting the applicator to be readily adjusted in adirection crosswise of the liquid tank to whatever extent is necessaryfor permitting the applicator to reach places which are difiicult ofaccess.

As a whole thiscleaning and polishing device is very compact inconstruction, the same has nb delicate parts which are liable to get-outof order and the same can be readily manipulated for performing thevarious operations which are required for cleaning andpolishing a floorwith water, liquid wax or any other suitable preparation with which thefloor is to be treated.

I claim:

1. Arfloor cleaning device, comprising a'tank adapted to holda fluid andprovided at its lower end with a port and an annular valve seat aroundsaid port, a rockable ball valve controlling said port and, having asurface engaging said seat which is partly spherical and partly flat,and means for rocking said ball valve and holding the same against saidseat including a vertical arm secured at its lower end to said ballvalve and two horizontal'arms projecting laterally'in opposite 75, tank,and :alshifting rod connected with said vertical arm, said vertical andhorizontal arms being constructed from a single piece of wire which isbent to form a double member loop which constitutes said vertical arm,and two single member arms which project laterally from the doublemembers of said loop.

2. A floor cleaning device, comprising a tank adapted to hold a fluidand provided at its lower end with a port and an annular valve seataround said port, a rockable ball valve controlling said port and havinga surface engaging said seat which is partly spherical and partly flat,and means for rocking said ball valve and holding the same against saidseat including a vertical arm secured at its lower end to said ballvalve and two horizontal arms projecting laterally in oppositedirections from the lower end of said vertical arm, springs connectingsaid horizontal arms with said tank, and a shifting rod connected withsaid vertical arm, said arms being constructed from a single piece ofwire which is bent to form a loop which includes said vertical arm andtwo horizontal arms which terminate in hooks, and said loop terminatingin an eye which receives said shifting rod.

3. A floor cleaning device, comprising a tank adapted to hold a fluidand provided at its lower end with a port and an annular Valve seataround said port, a rockable ball valve controlling said port and havinga surface engaging said seat which is partly spherical and partly flat,and means for rocking said ball valve and holding the same against saidseat including a vertical arm secured at its lower end to said ballvalve and two horizontal arms projecting laterally in oppositedirections from the lower end of said vertical arm, undercut shouldersformed on opposite sides of said tank, springs for yieldingly holdingsaid valve in engagement with said seat and each spring having a coiland hooks at opposite ends of said coil and engaging respectively withone of said horizontal arms and one of said undercut shoulders, and ashifting rod connected with said vertical arm.

4. A floor cleaning device, comprising a tank adapted to hold a fluidand provided at its lower end with a port and an annular valve seataround said port, a rockable ball valve controlling said port and havinga surface engaging said seat which is partly spherical and partly flat,and means for rocking said ball valve and holding the same against saidseat including a vertical arm secured at its lower end to said ballvalve and two horizontal arms projecting laterally in oppositedirections from the lower end of said vertical arm, spring meansconnecting said horizontal arms with said tank, a shifting rod connectedat its lower end with said vertical arm, and a lever pivoted on saidtank and connected with the upper end of said rod.

STANLEY WILLIAM JILBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 548,236 Stevenson Oct. 22, 1895668,874 Donnelly Feb. 26, 1901 1,236,215 Schade Aug. 7, 1917 1,283,906Riebel Nov. 5, 1918 1,557,127 Wilkin Oct. 13, 1925 1,630,222 Simpson May24, 1927 1,852,198 Bemis Apr. 5, 1932 2,105,709 Violette Jan. 18, 19382,284,720 Binon June 2, 1942 2,304,257 Jilbert Dec. 8, 1942

